Everyone knows the IKEA logo: an oval shape surrounding the letters "IKEA" and iconic blue and yellow colour scheme. In January 2024, a Chinese company from Shenzhen filed a trademark application for a logo that looked suspiciously similar to IKEA's. The only difference was that it featured the word ‘IKIKI’ rather than IKEA. Both words begin with IK, but the main similarity concerns the graphic elements, as anyone who sees the Chinese logo would automatically think of IKEA.

Imagine: you buy a beautiful cream-colored coat and read "Champagne" as the color on the label. Sounds fine, right? Well, not for everyone. For the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), which represents over three thousand Champagne producers and all things sparkling and French, the use of the term Champagne on clothing labels was a step too far. They argued that the American fashion brand Cult Gaia, by using this term, was exploiting, diluting, and harming the reputation of the name Champagne

You may be familiar with Hyundai as a car brand but did you know that there is also a Hyundai Technology, a Hyundai Motor Company and an HD Hyundai Co.? The first company is located in Puerto Rico, while the other two are South Korean. Hyundai Technology filed an opposition against an application for the wordmark ‘Hyundai’ for computer monitors and systems from the two South Korean companies on the grounds that its older European and German trademarks bear the same name. 

Can anyone realistically claim exclusive trademark rights to a golden champagne bottle? After all, gold is often used to enhance a product's upscale image. However, conflicts do arise from time to time, as we recently saw in an interesting case before the European Trademarks Office. The case concerned a shape mark consisting of a golden bottle from Sensi Vigne & ViniS.r.l., an Italian wine and champagne producer.

The New York Times described Rotterdam as a prime city for investment and for good reason. The city’s strategic location alongside the river Maas makes it highly accessible and it is clear for all to see that Rotterdam, renowned for its daring architecture and vibrant cultural initiatives, is a booming city.

Some people wear Crocs as a fashion statement in the city, while others wear them strictly in the privacy of their garden and hide them behind the door the minute they go back inside. The Crocs shoes below aren’t everyone’s thing. However, we are talking about Crocs here − aren’t we? Sufang Yan, a Slovakian company, registered the shoes shown above as a European design in 2022.

'They say that Duvel is named after the Devil, but drink and you will see God'. Duvel is a strong, blonde Belgian beer with a firm head and a fresh citrus flavour. It is brewed by Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat, a Belgian family brewery founded in 1871. Duvel has remained unchanged since 1923. The brewery has built a solid reputation and now exports its products to 72 countries.

Did you know that the word SMILEY is a trademark, as well as the Smiley emoticon? These cheerful trademarks were registered by The Smiley Company, a company that issues licenses for the Smiley trademark for a wide range of products including shirts, shoes and food, illustrating that licensing can serve as a revenue model.

While EU trademark law lacks a precise definition of bad faith, recent case law from the European Court of Justice clarified the interpretation. Aiming for consistency across Europe, a new common approach for IP Offices of EU Member States is introduced to address bad faith in trademark applications: Convergence Program 13 or simply CP13.

There is a current trend towards granting legal personality to nature. The idea is that this makes it possible to grant nature rights that can be explicitly taken into account when decisions are being made, or even enforced on nature’s behalf. This is already happening in Spain, where the Mar Menor lagoon has acquired legal personality. In the Netherlands, a politician has started lobbying to grant rights to Limburg’s hilly landscape.

A Japanese economist by the name of Yoshida recently published a calculation showing that subject to certain conditions and assumptions, everyone in Japan will have Sato as their last name by 2531. Why? Well, Japan is the only country in the world where spouses must have the same last name. Yoshida raised the issue − with success − to draw attention to what he considers to be an outdated law.

Back in the day, trademark applications in bad faith used to be a common occurrence in China, but this amount seems to have declined by recent more stringent Chinese legislation. Western brands stood for quality and status, and what could be easier than copying such established trademarks? Although it was very clear that the parties weren’t the rightful owners of the copied trademark, this still often happened.

Trademark cases can become deeply personal, and a recent Cancellation action before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) regarding the ‘Rubettes’ trademark is a striking example of this. The Rubettes are an English pop/glam rock band that achieved significant success with “Sugar Baby Love.” However, their history since then has been marked by conflicts within the band and legal battles. In 1999, Bill Hurd, one of the original founding members, established a separate band using the name “The Rubettes.” This led to litigation in the United Kingdom between him and Alan Williams (lead singer), which was settled in 2002.

Kwantum, a Dutch retail chain specializing in home furnishings and decorations known for its affordable prices, introduced a new, furry mirror. The ‘Teddy Wave’ mirror, with its wavy shape and soft frame of teddy-bear fabric, bears a suspicious resemblance to exclusive designer mirrors that costs much, much more. A lyrical client shared the tip on her TikTok account, and the video of the mirror was viewed more than a million times within a day.

It sounds like a picaresque novel, a small snack bar in Zeeland hindering a major American fast food chain’s plans to open up in Benelux, but it does show just how important trademark registration can be. If Wendy’s snack bar had not been registered in Benelux, it would never have had the power to exclude American Wendy’s from the region.

Obelix, Asterix’s best friend, is one of the main characters in the Asterix comic books. The Asterix & Obelix series is popular all over the world and has been translated into many languages. There is a huge range of Asterix merchandise: mugs, bags and wigs to name a few. There’s even an Asterix theme park in France. We’ll start with a spoiler: the fate of our comic hero Obelix takes a turn for the worse in this blog.

When is a name truly descriptive from a legal standpoint, rendering it ineligible for registration? The British clothing brand SUPERDRY, known for its vintage Americana style with Japanese graphics, recently found out. The European Trademark Office rejected the SUPERDRY trademark for most of the products and services for which the application was filed. The Office ruled that SUPERDRY means 'remarkably free of moisture’ and is descriptive, thus lacking distinctiveness.

Exclusive, expensive, coveted. Words that aptly describe the products of the Hermès brand. This fashion house is particularly renowned for its handbags (the Birkin bag being a prime example) and scarves. Luxury goods with a luxurious appeal. It's imperative that the exclusivity and reputation of the brand must be fiercely protected.